News5 explains the complexity of Veloso’s transfer

CHEERS TO News5 for its explainer on the impending transfer of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino convicted of drug trafficking in 2010, from Indonesia to the Philippines. The report was the first to discuss the complications confronting Veloso’s return, discussing them in the simplest of terms in the vernacular.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the news of Veloso’s “homecoming,” referring to “over a decade of diplomacy” and the “strong ties between Indonesia and the Philippines” that helped to seal the deal; and expressed his thanks to President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia for this development. 

There was really not much to report. Online media (GMA News Online, Inquirer.net, Rappler, Daily Tribune Online) promptly picked up the story, noting the length of time and efforts to bring Veloso home. But there were no details given about the agreement between the two governments, nor on the fate of Veloso when she returns to the Philippines. 

Primetime news of GMA-7, News5, and ABS-CBN also reported the announcement on November 20, with the clarification from the Department of Foreign Affairs that there was at the time no formal document detailing the arrangements for Veloso’s transfer to Manila. These same reports also carried reactions from Veloso’s kin. 

A notable exception 

Frontline Tonight’s segment “News ExplainED,” aired late evening of November 20 was notable not only because it recalled Veloso’s case history, but also discussed the legal implications of bringing her back to the Philippines.

News5 anchor Ed Lingao included the statement of the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections that even with the transfer, they expect the Philippines to respect Indonesia’s decision to prosecute crimes committed by foreign nationals and to enforce Veloso’s sentence. 

Lingao pointed out the lack of a formal prisoner transfer agreement between the Philippines and Indonesia, noting that Indonesia and Australia have been working on a similar document since 2005 without a completed agreement. He also highlighted the complication in carrying out Indonesia’s sentence on Veloso in the Philippines, which no longer enforces capital punishment. 

Lingao reported that the possibility of a presidential pardon for Veloso remains a question, since she is not convicted of a crime here in the Philippines. He also discussed the concern for Veloso’s safety in a Philippine jail, citing Veloso’s mother who said her daughter would be safer in the Indonesian penal system. 

The explainer stands out for presenting a more complete picture of Veloso’s case. Fraught with complications, her return home is not a simple victory to be cheered as it   calls for more work on the part of the government. 

Media reports were right to present the success of the lengthy efforts to bring back Veloso; but journalists should tell the entire story. The facts remain. She was found guilty of a crime, for which there are consequences in Indonesia and in the Philippines. 

News5’s explainer reported Veloso’s case with clear sighted understanding of the facts, making sense of the complications involved, helping viewers understand that Veloso’s conviction has not been lifted, and that she must continue to face the consequences of her crime.